Ohio Stadium

Joe Paterno winced at the question, which concerned his team's recent misfortune at Ohio Stadium. "I don't know, through the years we've had some good luck at Ohio State," the Penn State coach said. "We won there in 1956, [1963 and 1964]. I've always enjoyed going to Ohio State." Not so much lately, though. But this Saturday, just two overtimes from a perfect season, the Lions visit Ohio State itching to ruin a perfect season. "A win there would erase all of our sour memories of our two losses this season," Penn State quarterback Zack Mills said.

Editor's note: Today we continue our countdown of the top five regional sports stories of the year. Today: No. 2. Joe Paterno stood in the elevator, alone except for a stadium worker holding the door, while his assistants watched a nearby television. Lydell Sargeant's fourth-quarter interception in the end zone was being reviewed, and the coaches wanted to make sure of the result. "Come on, we got it, let's go," Paterno griped. It wasn't quite the celebration you'd expect from a coach after his first win at Ohio Stadium in three decades.

THE TWO-WAY STARTER Seems Ohio State has its own version of Michael Robinson. Meet Chris Gamble, the Buckeyes' first two-way starter since Paul Warfield in 1961. A sophomore, Gamble has become one of Ohio State's signature playmakers. Against Penn State, he scored a touchdown and prevented another to help secure a 13-7 victory. "He probably can play any position on the field," Ohio State defensive coordinator Mark Dantonio said of Gamble. Penn State's coaches have said the same thing about Robinson.

Tom Bradley received a police escort out of Ohio Stadium on Saturday night, then changed into a suit and tie before appearing in the post-game media room. Neither situation seemed to make him comfortable. "Normally," Penn State's defensive coordinator joked, "the police are behind me." Self-deprecation often hides a fertile mind, which Bradley is proving once again this season. His Penn State defense, which went from strength to weakness to enigma through the offseason, has emerged as a worthy counterpart to the offense that has produced such national swooning.

THE GAME Ohio State 45, Penn State 6 Ohio Stadium Attendance: 98,144 THE INJURY Penn State freshman Adam Taliaferro spent Saturday night at Ohio State University Hospital under observation for a cervical spine injury. Jeff Nelson, Penn State's sports information director, said there was `neurological involvement` and `incomplete paralysis.` `It's too early in the evaluation process to speculate beyond that,` Nelson said. Taliaferro, a defensive back, was taken off the field with 1:39 left in the fourth quarter.

The Game's pregame: Lloyd Carr's still beefing about last year's surprise "inspection" prior to the Michigan-Ohio State game. "I don't think we would ever treat any school like we were treated at Ohio State," the Michigan coach said this week. Upon arriving at Ohio Stadium last year, the Michigan players and coaches were told to leave their bags outside the locker room. They watched as a police dog searched the bags for about 10 minutes. No other team was subjected to such an inspection at Ohio Stadium last year.

PATERNO'S "G.I. DISEASE' Through 60 years of playing and coaching football, Penn State coach Joe Paterno had never left the field like that. "It was easier than if I had stayed," he said. His players weren't sure why (and Ohio State coach Jim Tressel didn't even notice that) Paterno left the field with 7:21 left in the second quarter to take care of what he called "a little G.I. disease," the result of a week-long battle with a virus. "I didn't know where he was going," Penn State running back Tony Hunt said.

He says he has no anxiety about going back there, to the field where his football career ended, where his life changed. In fact, Adam Taliaferro says, he's eager to go. "A lot of people think it's weird the way I'm taking it," he said. "But I think it's going to be nice to be on that field again, especially for a big game. I'm really looking forward to it." Taliaferro, the former Penn State cornerback, will join the team this weekend when it visits unbeaten Ohio State. The road trip will be Taliaferro's first since 2000, when he was a freshman with an unlimited football future.

Time/Place: 12 p.m., Ohio Stadium. Offenses: PSU, multiple; OSU, I formation. Defenses: PSU, multiple; OSU, 4-3. About the Lions: Offense learned plenty about itself in 20-13 win over Pitt. With just 12 first downs and 149 yards rushing, Lions couldn't muster much possession time. Only two drives lasted longer than three minutes. Aaron Harris, whose breakthrough game last year was against Ohio State, at tailback could help. The offense appears eager for his return. Defensively, secondary will be tested.

PENN STATE (8-0, 4-0) AT OHIO STATE (7-1, 4-0) 8 p.m. today at Ohio Stadium TV: ABC Radio: WAEB-AM 790 Series history: Ohio State leads 12-11 THE STORYLINE In August, would you have guessed that Penn State running back Evan Royster would have a better better yards-per-carry average and more touchdowns than Ohio State counterpart Chis 'Beanie' Wells entering their showdown tonight? Yes, Wells has missed three games with a toe injury, but through eight games he has only 14 fewer carries than Royster, and look at the statistical difference: Royster has 893 yards rushing to Wells' 619 (1.6 more per carry)

PENN STATE (8-0, 4-0) AT OHIO STATE (7-1, 4-0) 8 p.m. today at Ohio Stadium TV: ABC Radio: WAEB-AM 790 Series history: Ohio State leads 12-11 THE STORYLINE In August, would you have guessed that Penn State running back Evan Royster would have a better better yards-per-carry average and more touchdowns than Ohio State counterpart Chis 'Beanie' Wells entering their showdown tonight? Yes, Wells has missed three games with a toe injury, but through eight games he has only 14 fewer carries than Royster, and look at the statistical difference: Royster has 893 yards rushing to Wells' 619 (1.6 more per carry)

Malcolm Jenkins doesn't know what it's like to finish second in the Big Ten. Ohio State's senior cornerback has played for two outright conference champs and was a freshman on the 2005 team that shared the title with Penn State. Still, he's antsy. "I'm running out of games," Jenkins said, which is why Saturday night in Columbus resonates with him so strongly. "I definitely think that if we come out with a win it will force some people to respect us again," Jenkins said, "because it seems like we don't have any [respect]

The last time Penn State won at Ohio Stadium, the Buckeyes had a freshman quarterback recruited feverishly by Joe Paterno. That 19-0 victory over Ohio State helped propel the Lions to an 11-0 regular season and a berth in the Sugar Bowl, where they lost the de facto national-championship game to Alabama. As much as he loves history, though, Paterno demurred on that being any sort of indicator. And besides, Art Schlichter is no Terrelle Pryor. "To be honest, I couldn't tell you about the last time we won there," the Penn State coach said said.

As Ohio State and Michigan burned through their respective football schedules in 2006, the murmurs began: Would two teams from the same conference, the Big Ten, meet for the national championship? The discussion grew louder in the wake of No. 1 Ohio State's 42-39 victory over No. 2 Michigan in their season finale at Ohio Stadium. But the rematch didn't happen for a couple of reasons, and the hype surrounding the Buckeyes and Wolverines gave way to disenchantment when Florida dismantled Ohio State, 41-14, for the national championship and USC toppled Michigan, 32-18, in the Rose Bowl.

Indiana will play its most meaningful November game in 13 years when it visits Minnesota on Saturday. The Hoosiers (5-4) are one win from becoming bowl-eligible for the first time since 1993, when they played in the Independence Bowl. "Fifth-year seniors are coming to me saying, "We've never had games [this late in the season] that meant so much,"' Indiana coach Terry Hoeppner said. "That's been our goal from day one: to play 13 [games]." With the Ohio State-Michigan game fast approaching, Ohio State is taking steps to avoid further home-field embarrassments.

That was Tamba Hali escorting -- heck, darn near carrying -- Anthony Morelli off the field Saturday. With his shoulders slung and his head drooping, Morelli received some prescient advice from the former Penn State All-American. "I've been there," Hali, now a rookie defensive end with the Kansas City Chiefs, told his former teammate. "There are many more games to play." Step away from the panic button, people. Morelli is going to get up and out of the hole he dug at Ohio Stadium, which is a notoriously inhospitable place for Penn State quarterbacks.

Tom Bradley received a police escort out of Ohio Stadium on Saturday night, then changed into a suit and tie before appearing in the post-game media room. Neither situation seemed to make him comfortable. "Normally," Penn State's defensive coordinator joked, "the police are behind me." Self-deprecation often hides a fertile mind, which Bradley is proving once again this season. His Penn State defense, which went from strength to weakness to enigma through the offseason, has emerged as a worthy counterpart to the offense that has produced such national swooning.

PATERNO'S "G.I. DISEASE' Through 60 years of playing and coaching football, Penn State coach Joe Paterno had never left the field like that. "It was easier than if I had stayed," he said. His players weren't sure why (and Ohio State coach Jim Tressel didn't even notice that) Paterno left the field with 7:21 left in the second quarter to take care of what he called "a little G.I. disease," the result of a week-long battle with a virus. "I didn't know where he was going," Penn State running back Tony Hunt said.

The Penn State defense gave up just 14 points to one of the best offenses in the Big Ten. Senior tailback Tony Hunt virtually carried the Nittany Lion offense in the second half, gathering strength and will each time an Ohio State defender failed to tackle him. But when Penn State had its best chances to score on Saturday at Ohio Stadium, the Lions failed. That's why top-ranked Ohio State improved to 4-0 (1-0 Big Ten) with a 28-6 victory -- and why Penn State (2-2, 0-1) lost its second game in three weeks to a highly ranked opponent.